Collapsible crate.



PATENTED OCT. 6. 1903.

S. GREEK. COLLAPSIBLE CRATE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 30, 1902.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

NO MODEL.

52% 07mm fire e7.

No. 740,753. j

UNTTED STATES Patented October 6, 1903.

EETcE.

PATENT COLLAPSIBLE CRATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 740,753, dated October 6, 1903. Application filed $eptember 3D, 1i 302. iderial No. 125,445. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SHERMAN GREEK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lincoln, in the county of Lancaster and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Collapsible Orates,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to collapsible crates, particularly adapted for the transportation of eggs; and the main object of the same is to provide a strong and durable device of this class having features of construction which permit the several parts to be reduced to com pact form when empty, and thereby economize in the space occupied by a number of empty crates or when the latter are stored in bulk, and thus materially decrease the cost of freight orexpressage, the improved device being convenient for handling by express, railroad, and transfer companies.

With these and other objects and advantages in view the invention consists in the construction and arrangement of the several parts, which will be more fully hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved crate arranged for use. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of the same. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section. Fig. a is a perspective view of the improved crate collapsed. Fig. 5 is a transversevertical section of the crate as shown by Fig. 4,

illustrating the several parts stored therein. Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts inthe several views.

The numeral 1 designates a bottom,to which are removahly applied sides 2, ends 3, a transverse central partition 4:, and an inclosing cover or top 5. The bottom 1 adjacent the side edges and near the ends has slots 6 cut therethrough and provided with inwardly-curved bevel walls, wear-plates 7 being secured over the said slots on the under side of the bottom and having openings 8 therethrough coinciding with the slots. The bottom 1 also has pairs of pin-holes or sockets 9 adjacent the opposite ends, as well as at the center, the said pin-holes or sockets being arranged in transverse alinement. Each of the sides 2 has a pair of metallic straps 10 secured against the inner surface thereof and Vertically disposed,. the said straps being extended below the lower edge of the side and formed with inturned or hooked terminals 11. These straps extend over the full width of the sides to reinforce the same in a manner which will be presently set forth and on the outer surfaces of the sides below the upper edges battens 12 are secured-and longitudinally disposed, each side having one of the battens, which is of sufficient width to render it strong and durable.

The two ends 3 and the partition 4: have dowel-pins 13 projecting below their lower edges to removably enter the holes or sockets 9, and at their upper portions thev said ends and partition have oppositely-disposed outwardly-projecting hooks 14, which are secured in their side edges near their upper ends, so as to bearon the upper edges of the sides 2 when the parts of the crate are assembled.

In assembling the parts of the crate thus far described the sides are first placed in position by disposing them at such an inward angle of inclination as to permit the hooked terminals 11 of the straps 10 to pass through the slots 6 and openings 8, respectively, in the bottom and the wear-plates. After the said Terminals have been inserted through the slots and openings the sides are drawn outward into vertical position, and the ends 3 and partition 4 are then inserted between the sides, as clearly shown by Fig. 2. seen that the straps l0 distribute the support- It will be ing strain over the full width of the sides and also tend to reinforce the sides against breakage, as well as prevent the upper portion of I the sides breaking down, as would be the case and also to provide means for forming an in-' closure with the bottom 1 for the sides 2 and ends 3 when the latter are collapsed, as clearly indicated by Figs. 4 and 5. The end 18 of the cover or top is hinged to open upwardly, and secured to the lower edges of the sides 16 are spring-snaps 19 to engage the end 18 and hold the latter closed. Secured to the top plate 15 are the upper terminals of metallic straps 20, which are bent at an angle and also extend over and are attached to the inner surfaces of the sides 16 and have their lower terminals bent inwardly to form hooks 21 to engage the lower edges of the battens 12. In applying the cover or top as an entirety to the crate the end 18 is released and turned upwardly, and the entire cover is then slipped longitudinally over the upper portion of the crate-body, the inwardly bent or hooked terminals 21 of the straps 20 sliding along the under edges of the battens and prevent the cover from being lifted from the body of the crate. After the cover is fully applied the end 18 is lowered and engaged by the catches 19, and longitudinal sliding movement or displacement of the said cover is thereby obstructed. It will be seen that the contents of the crate will be readily accessible by moving the cover longitudinally after releasing and opening the end 18.

When the crate is collapsed or reduced to compact form, the sides 2 and ends 3, as well as the partition 4, are disconnected from the bottom 1 and are regularly disposed in the cover 5, which is inverted to receive said parts, as clearly shown by Figs. 4 and 5. After the sides, ends, and partition of the cratebody are placed in the inverted cover the bottom 1 is turned over and slipped under the inwardly-projecting hooked terminals 21 of the straps 20, the end 18 of the cover being open fol-this purpose and afterward closed and engaged by the spring-catches, and in this condition a number of crates can be stored in the space usually occupied by a fullsized crate or one without collapsible features.

In stacking or storing a number of crates either in collapsed or operative condition great inconvenience is experienced by having the engaging sides or bottom and top of the individual crates lying too close to and wearing upon the similar parts or sides of adjacent crates, and to overcome this disadvantage the bottom and cover are provided with transversely-extending ribs 22, which have sufficient projection above and below the plane of the' parts to which they are attached to prevent contact with adjacent crates of a similar or any other structure. The ribs 22 of the bottom 1 are close to the opposite ends of the latter, whereas the similar ribs on the cover are nearer the center of said cover. The purpose of this is to permit the bottom ribs to bear on the top or cover without obstruction by the ribs on the latter, and, moreover, the said ribs by such arrangement provide a stronger support to sustain the weight of a stack of crates and overcome any tendency toward splitting or fracturing either the bottom 1 or the cover 5. The bottom 1 of the improved crate is also projected at the side edges beyond the plane of the sides 2, or, in other words, is made wider than the actual width of the crate. The purpose of this construction is to have the 7 bottom fit snugly within the cover when the parts of the crate are reduced to compact form, as shown by Figs. 4 and 5.

Changes in the form, proportions, dimensions, and minor details may be resorted to without departing from the nature or spirit of the invention.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. In a crate, the combination of a bottom having slots therethrough inwardly from the opposite side edges and sockets near the ends and at the center, sides having strips secured totheirinner surfacesand provided withlower inturned terminal hooks removably inserted through the said slots, and normally bearing against the under surface of said bottom, opposite ends and a partition having depending dowel-pins to removably engage the sockets and also provided with upper outwardlyprojecting hooks to engage the upper edges of the sides, and a lid or cover having wide depending sides and ends adapted to serve with the bottom as a closure for the remaining parts when collapsed.

2. In a crate, the combination of a bottom having slots therethrough inwardly from the opposite side edges and sockets near the ends and at the center, sides having strips secured to their inner surfaces and provided with lower inturned terminal hooks removably inserted through the said slots and normally bearing against the under surface of said bottom, opposite ends and a partition having depending dowel-pins to removably engage the sockets and also provided with upper outwardly-projecting hooks to bear on the upper edges of the sides, battens on the outer upper portions of the sides of the crate, and a cover havinga hinged end and wide depending sides, the ends being equal in width to the sides, the sides of the cover also being provided with inturned hook devices to slidably move over and engage the under edges of the battens.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SHERMAN GREER.

Witnesses:

SELENA J. MCDILL, MILLIOENT E. GREEK. 

